8 August 2011 – Raymond Ackerman

“The future is yours, serve it well.” – Raymond Ackerman

“A Sprat to Catch a Mackerel is an encapsulation of my heartfelt belief in how small, seemingly insignificant actions – a chance meeting, a courteous gesture, an intense conversation, a keen observation, a systematic analysis, a positive response – can capture a big idea.” – Raymond Ackerman, founder of Pick n Pay, in his latest book, A Sprat to Catch a Mackerel

The Raymond Ackerman Portrait is now safely in the hands of the man himself. Positivity radiates off him and within seconds, it is very clear how, over the past 45 years, he managed to turn four small stores into the values-based retail empire that Pick n Pay is today.

There are some days when our efforts, for whatever it is we are trying to achieve, seem futile and energy and hope is elusive. Then there are some days, like today, when a chance meeting, brought about by a brush and canvas, brings a person into your life who tells you what his father told him – ‘to keep your head in the sky and feet on the ground’. Those days leave you with an extra spring in your step as you continue to work towards your dreams…

And then there is the next day, when it is your turn to make sure you let someone else know that they too should keep striving to soar.

And thus, Ubuntu lives.

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